Treatment of recurrent severe hepatic encephalopathy in patients with large porto-collaterals shunts or transjugular portosystemic shunt

Patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HE) do not systematically receive priority on the waiting list for liver transplantation. In some patients with cirrhosis, excessive amounts of gut derived ammonia can bypass the liver parenchyma due to large spontaneous portosystemic shunts (SPSS) induced by portal hypertension. A similar but iatrogenic condition can occur after transjugular portosystemic shunt (TIPS) insertion. In these situations HE may develop and can become refractory to standard management. In patients with preserved liver function, embolization of large SPSS has been shown to control HE mostly without aggravation of other portal hypertensive complications. In case of post-TIPS HE endovascular shunt reduction is able to control refractory post-TIPS HE in the majority of the patients. New strategies to prevent post–TIPS, such as the use of controlled expansion endoprosthesis, are currently explored.

Keywords: cirrhosis, portal hypertension, embolization, shunt reduction.